A daughter born to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge should be given the title
Princess of Wales because the naming tradition should extend to girls, an MP
will say today.

In a debate in the House of Commons on changing the rules of succession, Wayne David, the MP for Caerphilly, will call for the naming tradition to be extended to royal baby girls.

He said it would be an important gesture for the people of Wales now the Queen has confirmed a female child born to the royal couple will be a princess.

Mr David told BBC Wales: "We're talking about the future head of state and I think people in Wales feel very strongly about the Prince of Wales and I think, logically, and in fairness, there should be a Princess of Wales in future if the heir to the throne is a woman."

MPs will this afternoon debate whether to accept reforms that would mean a first-born daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge inherits the throne ahead of any younger brothers. There are also proposals to allow any royal heir to marry a Catholic, sweeping away a 300-year-old ban.

Mr David said there should also be confirmation that a royal daughter would get the same title of Princess of Wales, which was last held by her late grandmother, Princess Diana.

"I think it sends out a positive message that the people of Wales have a direct representative and we're fully locked into the monarchical system of government and I think it's symbolic because the role of Prince of Wales does not automatically bestow any rights or privileges or responsibilities but as a powerful symbol, really, that Wales is an integral part of the United Kingdom," Mr David said.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said it will be a matter for the Palace to decide.

This comes after Nick Clegg urged 'equal rights' for royal girls, stating that Parliament must change Britain's “arcane” rules of succession to ensure a first-born daughter of the Duke of Cambridge would be Queen.

The deputy Prime Minister said the current rules are “out of date” as he urged MPs to back changes to the law during the House of Commons debate today.

Introducing the reforms for the Government, Mr Clegg will say they “couldn’t be more timely” as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child.

“The other Commonwealth countries where Her Majesty The Queen is head of state have just given us the green light to change the law, and we are wasting no time,” Mr Clegg said last night.

“At the moment, if the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is a girl, any younger brothers she has will overtake her in line to the throne. We’re modernising these out of date rules so that men and women in line to the throne have equal rights.”

He said the law must also be changed to allow royal heirs the right to marry whoever they like and keep their entitlement to the throne.

“The current law also says that our monarch can’t be married to a Catholic,” he said. “This legal ban doesn’t apply to any other faith – not Muslims, Jews, Hindus, nor to atheists. Just Roman Catholics.

“The reasons for this go back 300 years, to the days when Britain was worried about the threat from its Catholics neighbours, such as Louis XIV of France.

“Times have changed, along with our attitudes towards each other. It is time for us to bring these arcane laws up to date.”

MPs are expected to be generally supportive of the Bill, but the Lords Constitution Committee has warned more debate is needed to uncover potential problems that may have been "overlooked or hidden".

There also have been reports that Prince Charles and senior figures within the Church of England are concerned about the “unintended consequences” of rushing through new rules.

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has suggested removing the ban on a monarch marrying a Roman Catholic could upset a "delicate constitutional balance".

However, the Church of England has written to MPs expressing its official backing for both the changes.

A briefing from the Church said the ban on royal heirs marrying Roman Catholics is "not necessary to support the requirement that the sovereign join in communion with the Church of England".

“Its proposed removal is a welcome symbolic and practical measure consistent with respect for the principle of religious liberty," the Church said. "It reflects the sea change in ecumenical relations over recent decades.”